FORMER United States Pres-ident Jimmy Carter was among a major international gathering of Baptists attended by the Pastor of a Kiddermin-ster Church.

Pastor Jack Bentham, of Milton Hall Baptist Church, accompanied by his wife, June, and church secretary, Sheila Catlin, went to the five-day Congress in Birmingham of more than 12,000 members of the faith. The International Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena hosted meetings during the event.

The former President add-ressed the Congress before taking a Sunday school class.

Items on the assembly agenda ranged from Bible studies to seminars on the HIV/Aids pandemic in Africa and human trafficking for the sex trade. Delegates came from as far afield as Asia, Africa and Latin America. Mr Bentham said: "What we really enjoyed about the Congress was meeting Baptist Christians from so many different countries.

"Music at the evening worship was really special and we enjoyed hearing choirs from India and the USA, a steel band from the Caribbean and the beat of African musicians."

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